Customer Reviews

Dead Center: A Marine Sniper's Two-Year Odyssey in the Vietnam War

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I met Ed Kugler while installing a vinyl floor in his kitchen and noticed he had a little magnet on his refridgerator of the book cover. I found it quite amazing that this nice soft spoken teddy bear of a man was a marine sniper. He ended up giving me an autographed copy of the book and I thought that was aweful nice of him to do.

I let the book sit for about 3 months only reading a couple of pages at a time. Once I started really getting into the book I was so immersed in the story of his marine tour that I had to remind myself that I met the guy in his house on a hill in montana and that this is a true story...no B.S. Just the fact that he is not dead or missing limb's proves the greek was right. The story's here are top notch and there's never a dull moment in the book. Ed's vivid recollection of events really helps someone that has never been in war really get a good idea what it was like and what kind of things you think about. Definitely reccomend this to anyone over 15 years old for some education on how vietnam was for this group of snipers.

I served with Kug during 66-67, and had distanced myself from my brothers for purely personal reasons. I needed time to heal-almost 30 years.This is the first and only Viet Nam era book I have ever read and only then because it was written by Ed Kugler. The nicknames are somewhat strange, but I can understand why he might have to change real names. The book is real. It is certainly written from his point of view and written well. This book may enlighten a great many people. Thank you Kug.

I just recently finished reading this book and found it to be superbly written and I could hardly put it down it was so interesting. Ed Kuglers 2 year journey through the hell that was Vietnam depicts the enviroment so well that it is almost like you are there. I was very pleased with my purchase of the book, and i can honestly reccomend it to anyone who wants to know of the hardships a U.S. Marine had to face in Vietnam, especially a Marine Sniper like Ed Kugler.

I've read a few Nam books and this was by far my favorite. Sometimes I feel excluded from books about Nam being a woman. This book allowed me a glimpse into the minds of young men at war. I loved it. I literally could not put it down. I laughed and I cried and I felt anxiety from the suspense. My dad served in Nam and I feel like I understand him better after reading this book. I'll look for more books from Ed Kugler.

Author has written a very good detailed account of what life was like in the Marines during his service. Written with cold hard truth mixed with his opinions of what was really happening. He has written one of the best books I have read. Even in the hell he was living in he was still able to find an unusual sense of humor in some of the things he seen. If you want a book with daily accounts of the reality of Vietnam this book is for you. There is not one of the "Superman" hero type books.

How someone can write a review of this book that is bad I have no idea. It was completely awesome. Ed Kugler skips political 'correctness' and goes straight to the point. Raw, the uninhibated truth. The story of his two years in Vietnam is compelling. In the begining of the book, he's an ordinary middle america kid. By the end of the book I feel Vietnam took a toll on his sanity. Alot of the book isn't really sniper warfare, but close to it. The focus is more on what he called 'Rouge' patrols, a group of 4-5 men, going out into the badlands and killing the enemy. The language, yes it is vulgar, but I think it captures the way he was back then. As others have wrote, I felt I knew Mr. Kugler at the end of his book, which I thought was great. Awesome read, couldn't put it down!!

Dead Center is a straightforward, no BS, skip the fluff, unglamorous account of Ed Kugler's two years as a Marine sniper in Vietnam. That's exactly what made it such a great book. I think this is an excellent book, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good read. Too many war stories and books are full of glamour, heroes, and lame love stories. You won't find any of that in Dead Center. Not to say that Kugler and his fellow Marines weren't heroes, you just won't find him bragging about it. This book is an excellent, true account of a boy faced with the harsh reality of war that would eventually turn him into a man. From boot camp to Santa Domingo, on to Vietnam and the Co Bi-Than Tan Valley, you'll feel like you're a Marine the second you start reading this book. You won't be plagued with the boring details contained in many war stories, just raw action. However, this book does have a deeper side. Kugler demonstrates the importance to make good decisions, whether you're a sniper in the bush, or a politician in Washington D.C. He makes it known that the bad decisions made in Washington directly affect the young men we send to battle, and that a bad decision made in the bush could get you killed. Dead Center also shows the strong camaraderie and friendship between members of the United States Marines. Ed Kugler writes with his own kind of style. You'll likely never see him win a Pulitzer, but you'll enjoy his book regardless. The story is told through the eyes of a teenager, using the language of a teenager. It is not unlikely that you'll spot {an offensive word} more than five times on a single page, or any other vulgar words for that matter. But the language makes it more real, giving the reader the feeling that it came from an eighteen year old kid. I would definitely like to see Dead Center turned into a movie, mostly because of the fact that it goes against most other Hollywood war movies. I would definitely rather see the reality war and the lessons that come with it, rather than see a hero with a red bandana and a lame love story. All in all, it was an excellent book and I would recommend it to anyone; who can handle the language that is.

I am a former Marine who was at Parris Island, Platoon 364; M Co, 3rd Bn, 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division and in Viet Nam at the same time as Ed Kugler.

I find his writing excellent, the language and slang used by Marines authentic. It brought chills to my spine when I read this book. I was not a sniper, but I was a grunt Sgt with K Co, 3rd Bn, 7th Marines, 1st Marine division in Viet Nam from Jun 1967 to Jun 1968. I can assure you that his accounts of ambushes and routine life in Viet Nam are all too real.

Fascinating book.

Some of the other reviews suggest that this book is exciting, and others suggest that it is boring. It is really both, and that is why Dead Center is such a good book. By telling his story so honestly, Ed Kugler helps us to understand a little more about what it was like for young men to train and fight in the Vietnam war. Part of their time was spent in boredom and loneliness. The rest of their time was spent surrounded by fear, combat, and death.

This book would not make a good Hollywood script. The Marines described within are not glamourous and witty, and they did not always make smart choices. Again, that is why this is a good book. It really describes what happens when you hand a bunch of very young men rifles and throw them into a war like Vietnam. By reading this book, I gained a deeper understanding of the experience of war, and gained a deeper appreciation for our veterans. Thank you for sharing your story, Mr. Kugler, and thank you for your service.

I really liked this book, it is very truthfuly writen .I really felt that I Knew Mr. Kugler once I was finshed with the book. Ed Kugler accounts for alot in his life from; the jungles of Nam, to his mid-tour leaves. It is an easy book to read even if you are not a military minded person it will be easy to follow.